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In A Thunder Bay court on Tuesday, a 23-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder.

Leif Hobson had pleaded guilty in April to the murder of Edgar Marion.

The homicide happened in July of 2009, when Hobson and Marion were selling prescription drugs together.

According to an agreed statement of facts presented in court earlier this year, the two were selling Marion's prescription oxycocet pills.

They got into an argument related to that arrangement in Marion's basement apartment on North Algoma Street, escalating to the point that Hobson beat Marion with his fists and a wooden knife block. The victim died from the assault.

Hobson told police he decided to clean up the apartment as much as possible, wrapped the body in a blanket and put it in Marion's car.

He also took a television, computer, cell phone, cash and other items.

Hobson then drove Marion's car to pick up a friend, who helped him get two jerry cans filled with gasoline. He returned to the apartment, set it on fire and drove to a wooded area off the Thunder Bay Expressway. There, Hobson burned the car with the victim's remains in the trunk.

Leif Hobson's lawyer Gil Labine says his client is still young and will be 34 when he's eligible for parole. (Adam Burns/CBC)

Automatic life sentence

Hobson was due to be sentenced in July — and again earlier this month — but the sentencing was delayed both times because the Gladue report wasn't finished. A Gladue report looks into the circumstances faced by Aboriginal offenders.

As the judge noted in his sentencing on Tuesday, a second degree murder conviction comes with an automatic life sentence.

Both the Crown and defence recommended Hobson be eligible for parole after 15 years — which is exactly what Justice Bruce Fitzpatrick decided.

Including the time he's already served, Hobson will be eligible for parole in 11 years, when he is 34 years old.